An Evening with Bettye LaVette

Wednesday, February 5, 2014 at 7:00pm

Bettye LaVette, described by The New York Times as “rivaling Aretha Franklin as her generation’s most vital soul singer,” will perform at Bryant as part of the President’s Cultural Series and in conjunction with Black History Month.

Widespread recognition eluded LaVette through most of her 50-year career until she won the coveted W.C. Handy Award in 2004 for “Comeback Blues Album of the Year,” and the Living Blues Critic’s Award for “Best Female Blues Artist.” She later received a “Pioneer Award” from The Rhythm and Blues Foundation, was nominated for a Grammy Award, and won a Blues Music Award for “Best Female Contemporary Blues Artist.”

She garnered critical acclaim following her performance of The Who’s “Love Reign O’er Me” at the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2009, she sang with Jon Bon Jovi at the Obama Inaugural celebration at the Lincoln Memorial. She next shared the stage at Radio City Music Hall with Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.

LaVette has since appeared on countless radio and television programs. In 2012, her latest album, “Thankful N’ Thoughtful,” was released, along with her acclaimed autobiography, “A Woman Like Me.”